Hobbies

[TNLynn]

Thank you for bringing that up. I was assuming (and you know where that gets you) that everyone would know that there are very strict federal, state and local laws that MUST be followed/obeyed before you start digging. Ignorance of the law is no excuse...

[Iowa Dave]

I believe there have also been instances where there were metal detecting opportunities closely orchestrated by the officials, where historical artifacts were unearthed by metal detecting folks operating by invitation in certain time periods and in designated areas. Perhaps someone has experience with this? My brother has a Minelab and terrific hearing and has been into detecting for quite a few years. He enjoys finding bus tokens, trade tokens and dog license tags.
Iowa Dave

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Agree - I think Starbucks black coffee tastes like cr*p and is way too hot. No wonder people pay 5 bucks a cup to taste like something else. McDonalds is great!

MacDonalds is pretty good coffee . Can’t understand Starbucks . Pat

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

MacDonalds is pretty good coffee . Can’t understand Starbucks . Pat

and they have senior coffee prices...

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

and they have senior coffee prices...

YES! Pat

[56reader]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I'm starting to see some changes happening in all-molded gatherings and events. Organized hikes, biking, kayaking/canoeing, morning yoga, etc. It's really great!

I'll never fault someone for their choices, it's called Free Will for a reason. For me, I'd whether wear out than rust out.

Donna - which facebook groups are you talking about? Let me know!

Thanks!

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by 56reader

Donna - which facebook groups are you talking about? Let me know!

Thanks!

Each gathering puts on their own events, you'd find that info within the schedule... when they publish. I remember some of this stuff happened in past Oregon Coast Gatherings, for instance.

I'd add some of this stuff to the NOGs, but we're designed to be NOT organized.

One of the 'newest' groups I've joined is Lost in Oregon. I've lived here for nearly 60 years and I'm just NOW learning about some wonderful locations in my state. Gotta go buy new hiking boots...

[SHolderfield]

Originally Posted by Old Fulica

That's one of the main reasons we have our trailer. Just returned from coastal BC looking for Grizzlies. We were sitting in camp chairs facing a river when this one unexpectedly came up behind us. It walked by us and into the river. Like you, I process the pictures on the laptop in the trailer. It's a great hobby.

There's obviously a bunch of us out there with trailers, cameras and computers!

Steve

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

....Gotta go buy new hiking boots...

my daughter just finished hiking half the Pacific Crest Trail this summer, she did a bit over 1250 miles mid-march to mid-may and mid july to early Sept..... Apparently noone uses 'boots' anymore, they wear ultra-light trail running shoes. the gear they use is vastly lighter than anything I remember from my backpacking days, her complete kit, with backpack, tent, sleeping bag+pad, ground cloth, cooking gear, water purifier, shoes and clothing, mini-crampons for the shoes, hiking sticks, everything but food and water, was 22 lbs.

[tractors1]

Dang, in the 70s I had all the cool North Face lightweight stuff, dried food, and that pack still came in around 40-45 lbs.

[Farther]

March 3, 1998, I started the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mt, Georgia with my 19-year-old daughter. My pack weighed 73 pounds with winter gear, water, fuel, and food. 195 days later in Monson, ME my packed weighed about 40 pounds with water, food, and fuel and I weighed 25 pounds less too. Alone the AT, I replaced almost every piece of backpacking gear with lighter weight versions and mild weather versions with the exception of my Leki hiking sticks and REI convertible pants. The price of modern lightweight backpacking gear is inversely proportional to its weight.

[SHolderfield]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Dang, in the 70s I had all the cool North Face lightweight stuff, dried food, and that pack still came in around 40-45 lbs.

Impressive! This kind of activity is why I have an Escape 19 on order... not to mention the wife's refusal to tent camp.

[SHolderfield]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

my daughter just finished hiking half the Pacific Crest Trail this summer, she did a bit over 1250 miles mid-march to mid-may and mid july to early Sept..... Apparently noone uses 'boots' anymore, they wear ultra-light trail running shoes. the gear they use is vastly lighter than anything I remember from my backpacking days, her complete kit, with backpack, tent, sleeping bag+pad, ground cloth, cooking gear, water purifier, shoes and clothing, mini-crampons for the shoes, hiking sticks, everything but food and water, was 22 lbs.

This is why I have an Escape 19 on order. I can't do that any more. Also, my wife has refused to camp in a tent. I even bought the best cots I could find. Oh well, I'm excited to get my new trailer!

[Artlady]

Originally Posted by Farther

March 3, 1998, I started the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mt, Georgia with my 19-year-old daughter. My pack weighed 73 pounds with winter gear, water, fuel, and food. 195 days later in Monson, ME my packed weighed about 40 pounds with water, food, and fuel and I weighed 25 pounds less too. Alone the AT, I replaced almost every piece of backpacking gear with lighter weight versions and mild weather versions with the exception of my Leki hiking sticks and REI convertible pants. The price of modern lightweight backpacking gear is inversely proportional to its weight.

Expensive it is! I have two young adult children who are avid hikers/campers/outdoors people. My son decided he wasn’t going to pay the outrageous price for a Below Zero sleeping bag. I think the cost was upwards of $500-$600 plus.

Everything is online these days. So he asked for a basic sewing machine for his birthday, read up on how to sew, bought all the materials, and sewed an ultra light, bafflesd, down-filled form-fitting sleeping cocoon with a hood. I think each one cost him about $175 in material. ( He made one for his wife, too.)

Not only did he save money, but he learned a new skill. Since then, he’s sewn Decorator sofa pillows, learned how to sew/fix his Navy uniform, curtains, etc.

Heck, if he had the time, I’d have him see my Escape cushions and curtains!

Perhaps this is a hobby the OP can learn!

[Vermilye]

Back in 1968, I was "hiking" in the Ashau Valley in Viet Nam. 120 pound back pack, 60 pounds of ammunition (I carried a M79 grenade launcher). A good quality pack frame, but we rarely moved more than a click (1000 meters) per day...

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Back in 1968, I was "hiking" in the Ashau Valley in Viet Nam. 120 pound back pack, 60 pounds of ammunition (I carried a M79 grenade launcher). A good quality pack frame, but we rarely moved more than a click (1000 meters) per day...

Thank you for your service Jon, we appreciate it.
Iowa Dave

[Farther]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Back in 1968, I was "hiking" in the Ashau Valley in Viet Nam. 120 pound back pack, 60 pounds of ammunition (I carried a M79 grenade launcher). A good quality pack frame, but we rarely moved more than a click (1000 meters) per day...

Thank you for your service indeed. Back in 1968, I was a junior in high school with a lottery number 26 waiting for my turn to hump 120 pounds of battle rattle through the jungle with mixed emotions. Thankfully a trio of circumstances of Army ROTC, 2S and a hard parachute landing kept me out of Viet Nam.

[SHolderfield]

Originally Posted by Farther

Thank you for your service indeed. Back in 1968, I was a junior in high school with a lottery number 26 waiting for my turn to hump 120 pounds of battle rattle through the jungle with mixed emotions. Thankfully a trio of circumstances of Army ROTC, 2S and a hard parachute landing kept me out of Viet Nam.

I had a similar experience but my draft number was 24, I figured I was headed to Nam, but then President Nixon ended the draft. I often think of all of you who served. I'm not sure how I would have made it through all that. Thanks for serving!

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by SHolderfield

I had a similar experience but my draft number was 24, I figured I was headed to Nam, but then President Nixon ended the draft. I often think of all of you who served. I'm not sure how I would have made it through all that. Thanks for serving!

While it was not fun, it certainly gave one some introspective on being a citizen of a Western (aka a 1st world county) and a appreciation of how others less fortunate parts of the world lived. The US Navy used to stop in Bandar Abbas, Iran in the 70s, before the Islam rebels kicked out the Shah. Life rolls on. Just deal with it.

[Seneca]

Padlin--
If you're looking for something new to do, you might try sampling a couple of courses at your local community college. Frequently those places have continuing learning, or lifetime learning non-credit courses geared to people who want to try something new--whether it's Indian cooking or woodworking, photography or yoga, fly fishing or painting. You get an introduction by a knowledgeable instructor, the use of equipment (you may have to buy some materials, or personal tools, or whatever), and, over the course of a weekend or once a week for a month or so, enough exposure to your interest to see if it's something you want to pursue.